Twenty Minutes
by nellia cimor
Summary: SPOILERS FOR "SNAKE EYES". this is my take on the "towel scene", and how i would have ended it if it were up to me...
1. Chapter 1: her favorite towel

[A/N: i'm back after my long hiatus, which was not a restful one, but a stressful one, and now i am again free to publish to the masses. as happens to many on this site, writer's block struck me like a deadly disease and ravaged my unguarded soul. what sprang me from my listless trance is something that has inspired the muse of many it seems. what do i write of? why, the now viral and infamous 'towel scene' of course! the following is my take on the scene. please review. it's open to anyone, even non site members. much love. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes she had just spent on the phone having a furious, yet whispered fight with her boyfriend, defending her friendship with Derek to Kevin and trying vehemently to explain away all of his doubts and fears, and in one second or less Derek himself had just shattered her defence. Oh... dear... god... If there was a more appropriate curse word to describe her feelings in that moment, she would definitely have uttered it.

"J.J. Just called, we have a case", Derek spoke from her bedroom door, freshly showered, wearing nothing but a towel.. that was her towel! Of all the towels in her linen cupboard-! Her favorite-!

Miraculously, her brain managed to string together a few clever words despite the record amount of missed heart beats she was experiencing.

"Yes... Yes! She just called me too!", she lied surprisingly easily as this was usually a rather difficult task normally. "let's go!"

She bustled around her living room, gathering up her clothes which she'd tossed there the night before in an effort to escape an impending pillow fight, and picked up Derek's boxers before she realized what they were.

"Oh! That one's yours!", she exclaimed, letting go of the garment rather quickly, and snatching up the last of her outfit.

She grabbed her coat from it's hook on the wall, and turned back before she departed to offer Derek a good-bye. There was a small hiccup in her escape plan that she hadn't noticed yet, but again.. Derek Morgan.. in her apartment.. in a towel.. in her favorite towel.. Any women in her right mind would find herself scatter brained.

"See you there", she managed to squeak out before exiting the apartment, eager to get some distance between herself and Derek the drippy-wet eye-candy.

Derek's expression turned to concerned confusion as he watched her leave her own apartment like a scalded cat. He speed-dialed her cellphone and she answered almost right away.

"Yes?", she asked rather breathlessly.

"Um, baby girl", Derek hesitated, "Are you planning on getting dressed for work in your car or something? 'Cause you're still in the clothes you wore to bed last night.."

Penelope went crimson and was exceedingly glad that Derek couldn't see her. "Yes- No- You're right- That's silly- Of course I should get dressed before I head into work. 'Kay. See you- in a minute. Frig-"

Penelope walked quickly back to her apartment door and paused before re-entering to take a deep breath and calm her nerves. When she felt she was as ready as she'd ever be, she turned the handle and stepped inside.

"Hi", she waved awkwardly, perching nervously on the edge of her couch and trying to avert her eyes as best as she could from Derek's half-nakedness.

"Hey", Derek chuckled, still uncertain as to why she was acting so strange. "You okay, princess?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine", she lied again, fiddling with the bundle of clothes in her lap anxiously. "It's just that-" she shut her mouth abruptly. She hadn't meant to say the last bit out loud, which started with the words 'It's just that' and ended with the words 'you're standing all smexy in my mother fucking living room and I'm having several heart attacks'.

Derek raised his eyebrows at her, which was a gesture that clearly stated 'It's just that.. what exactly?'

"It's just that- you're- standing-", but she couldn't bring herself to say the rest. This was a major problem. She had said naughtier things to him on several occasions to be sure, but suddenly she didn't want to risk playing the flirting game. Suddenly all her office bravado and wit was gone, and all that remained was the scared little school girl underneath. "-in.. my.. favorite towel."

"Sorry?", Derek asked in confusion.

"That's my favorite towel", she tried to explain. Yes. That was it. That's the reason she was so upset. Sssuuuurrrre it was... "It's my towel. No one uses it, but me." Well, that was partially the truth anyway. She was the only one that used that towel. It was hers and she usually guarded it with her life whenever Kevin would try and use it. "I know, it's weird, but..", she shrugged trailing off.

"No, that's okay", Derek shook his head, apologizing, (bless him.) "I totally get it. I swear I'll be more careful next time."

"Next..?", she breathed, sure in her belief that she was very close to an entirely blissful death.

"Never mind", she dismissed, having had way too many shocks to her system that morning to pile more on top of them by way of chocolatey daydreams of future maybe/what ifs. "We should get going. Unsubs wait for no one. Not even a supreme genius and her delectable house guest. You dress first. I'll wait my turn."

"Or we could get dressed at the same time. Save a few minutes", Derek suggested.

Penelope gave Derek an incredulous look. "Uh, hunny, I know you love me and all, but I totally think it'd be inappropriate to see each other naked."

Derek laughed and shook his head. "I meant, I'll get dressed out here", he gestured, pointing to the floor. "And you get dressed in there", he pointed to her bathroom, which was the only room in her apartment with a proper door.

Penelope found herself blushing again, to her utter shame. "Sure. Yeah. I knew that."

Derek chuckled, throwing her a sideways glance. "You sure you're okay, baby girl? You're all over the place this morning."

"Peachy", she sighed in a kind of strangled squeak, heading for the bathroom as fast as her weak legs could carry her. She was surprised she wasn't tripping over herself.

"Garcia", Derek nearly sing-songed, making her whip around on the spot.

"You have my boxers again", he pointed out, grinning patronizingly.

"What?" Garcia looked down at the pile of clothes she held in her arms. She had indeed added Derek's boxers back into the fold. "Sorry", she apologized, staring intently at the floor as she handed the boxers back to their owner. "No idea why I keep doing that..."

Derek just smiled, shaking his head. "Go. We're gonna be late, and I know you won't want me to have to explain why to Hotch."

Penelope blanched. "No. No. Definitely not", and with that, she spun on her heels, bolted into her bathroom, and busied herself getting ready at light speeds for work, trying desperately not to think of Derek Morgan beginning his own garment ritual mere inches away from where she stood.


	2. Chapter 2: under the microscope

[a/n: this story was only supposed to be one chapter, but then i started thinking about what emily might say if she noticed derek in his outfit from the day before, and it sounded good in my head, so i wrote it down. also, loved the comment that someone could totally see my first chapter happening in the show. when basing a story off spoilers, that is what i strive for :) love y'all. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

Prentiss snorted in amusement as she watched Morgan saunter into the room.

"The player strikes again..", she muttered in undertone, causing Rossi and J.J. to smirk and exchange a glance in shared good humor.

Derek's brow crinkled in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"You come in here all 'Mr. Swagger' with yesterday's clothes on? That leads me to believe you've had one of your infamous 'dates' last night", Emily explained. "So! ...Who's the lucky lady?", she teased.

"None of your damn business", Derek sauced back, plunking down in his usual spot around the round table and lifting a folder from the pile in the middle of the table to leaf through. "And luck has never had anything to do with it."

"Anything to do with what?", Penelope asked unwittingly, arriving in on the conversation mid-sentence.

"Reid?", Emily asked as he had arrived shortly after Penelope. "You're a genius. Figure this out for us- How many women has Morgan gone home with in the years that you've known him?"

Reid scoffed. "I may excel at math, but even I'm not THAT good."

Rossi, J.J., and Emily laughed collectively.

"Ouch, pretty boy!", Derek scolded, swatting Reid playfully in the arm. "Watch yourself now."

"Okay then", Emily pressed on. "What is the probability that he went home with a 'date' last night?"

Reid studied Morgan calculatingly.

"Given the limited parameters presented to me by way of his current attire, level of cleanliness, and over-all aura of contentment, I would surmise that the probability would lean in fact towards the more likely end of the spectrum."

"So.. yes?", J.J. attempted to confirm. "He did go home with someone?"

"The probability is high", Reid nodded.

"See?", Emily jibbed, prodding Derek in the arm. "Even Reid thinks so."

"Aren't we supposed to be reviewing the case?", Penelope squawked over-hastily, trying to divert the attentions of her team away from their current line of questioning.

"Baby girl, chill", Derek tried to reassure her covertly. "We have to wait for Hotch."

"Come on, Morgan", Emily persisted. "You can tell us who it was. We're all friends here."

Penelope opened her mouth, but luckily she was saved from incrimination.

"Sorry I'm late everyone", Hotch apologized, swooping into the room just in time. "What've we got?"

"Ah...", Penelope faltered, forgetting herself momentarily. "..Murders- Right! There's been a string of suspicious murders in Atlantic City, which brings me to my own point of business; Sir, I can't work on this case if it turns out to be casino related."

"Is this to do with your sealed personal file?", Hotch guessed.

"Oh, no. Not mine, sir. It's Kevin's", Garcia assured him. "He's banned from Atlantic City and-"

"Hang on", Derek interrupted. "He was banned from Atlantic City? A whole city? How did he manage that?"

"He tried to rip off ten casinos at once and nearly succeeded", Reid answered, regarding a crime scene photo with close scrutiny.

"Yeah.. How'd you know that?", Penelope asked in surprise.

"I've read his file", Reid answered offhandedly, removing another crime scene photo from his folder and comparing the two he now held.

"You read Kevin's file?", she asked, confused as to why he would feel the need to.

"I've read everyone's file", Reid stated in a tone that suggested he thought this revelation should come as a surprise to no one. "Except the ones marked 'classified'. I left those alone."

"Garcia, if you're worried internal affairs will think you're gathering information for Kevin, I can appeal to them for you on your behalf", Hotch offered, ignoring Reid's rather harmless breach of privacy.

"Oh..", she hadn't thought of that option. "Well, thank you, sir."

"As long as you can assure me that you will stay objective in this and professional, we should be in the clear. Can you do that?", Hotch asked.

"Yes, sir. Most definitely so, sir", she nodded.

"Good", Hotch nodded determinedly. "Everyone else- we'll go over the finer points of the case on the way to the crime scene. Wheels up in thirty."

[a/n: working on a idea for chapter three. i'll post it as soon as it comes to fruition.]


	3. Chapter 3: too much stress

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

"There she is!", Emily whispered conspiratorially in J.J.'s ear.

The two giggled silently as they fell into step with their very flustered looking friend.

It took a few moments for Penelope to acknowledge the presence of the other two BAU ladies, and when she did, she lowered her head, pulled the files she was holding closer to her chest, and attempted to shake them by hastening her pace.

"Oh no you don't!", Emily scolded, matching her stride for stride easily as she wore more practical foot ware then the quirky tech. "Don't think you're gonna pull that stunt on us, miss thing!"

"We want to know what's going on with you and Morgan", J.J. smirked pointedly.

"Hence my bid for freedom", Penelope replied, head still lowered and booking it as fast as her platform heels would allow.

Emily and J.J. exchanged a look of surprise. They hadn't expected her to admit to anything.

"So.. something IS 'going on'?", J.J. asked in an awed sort of whisper.

"Derek is having to stay with me a few days because there is extensive water damage in his current residence and they need do a major clean up and inspection before he can move back in", Penelope explained, recalling her earlier conversation with Kevin that hadn't gone over as smoothly as one would hope. "That's all. I'm just helping out a friend."

"No", Emily eyed Penelope suspiciously. "I really don't think that's the end of it."

"What is with you being so nosey today?", Penelope demanded to know rather harshly. "Why don't you just mind your own business?"

Emily was slightly taken aback. "I'm sorry, p. I didn't mean-"

"It's bad enough Kevin is fuming and threatening me with departure seven ways past sunday, but now the people I have asked time and time and effing time again to NOT PROFILE ME are interrogating me just for a juicy bit of gossip? No. You don't get to do that. You are supposed to be my friends and you don't get to question my loyalties."

Emily and J.J. fell silent and stopped following Penelope. Only when she disappeared around the end of the hallway corner did they speak again.

"She knows I didn't mean to hurt her, right?", Emily asked, feeling incredibly guilty.

"Yes", J.J. assured her, with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She's just upset at the strain her close friendship with Morgan is putting on her relationship with Kevin. She needs some time to process and level off. We'll check in on her later."

Emily nodded with a grateful smile, following J.J. back to the bullpen to collect their things for the trip.

[a/n: penelope's temper flare is a setup for the next chapter.. hopefully.. anyway, sorry for the shortness. more to come. love y'all. peace.]


	4. Chapter 4: chocolate craving

[a/n: okay, so basically "snake eyes" was a slap in the face for me, so it took me a few days to get up the energy to write again. my renewed inspiration came from all of you here on fanfiction still soldiering on in spite of everything. still writing, still hoping, still dreaming, and then it struck me that that's why there are sites like this. this place keeps our dreams alive. so, hears how i would have written that episode. i've skipped over all the case bits for the most part because that wasn't the part that i was interested in this time around. love y'all. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

"Are you sure?", Derek heard Hotch ask, "Thank you, Garcia, and calm down okay? We'll get him."

Derek motioned quickly to catch Hotch's attention before he hung up the call.

Hotch asked for a wordless explanation with a raised eyebrow.

Derek shook his head, but gestured that he should pass over the cell quickly.

"Um, actually, could you hold on for a second, I think we have something..", Hotch lied to keep her on the line.

"Sure thing, boss man", Penelope complied seamlessly, awaiting further instructions.

Hotch held his hand over the receiving end of his phone and whispered, "Can't you just call her yourself?"

"She's been avoiding my calls", Derek answered, which garnered him a concerned glance from his boss.

"Is everything okay with you two?", he asked, worried that any complications might effect the swiftness of their case.

"That's what I'd like to know", Derek sighed.

Hotch nodded and put the cell back to his ear, "I'm going to have to hand you off to Morgan because there's a situation here, but he'll give you the details."

Penelope blanched and her blood ran cold. "Oh no, sir! Please don't do that-!", Penelope begged fruitlessly.

"Hey, baby girl", Derek greeted, preparing himself for another cut-off dial tone to sound.

"Heyyy..", Penelope sighed in defeat. Logically she knew she couldn't keep running forever. She had given it a real college try, but her efforts had been entirely in vain.

"Listen, sweetness, I know you've been avoiding me", Derek goaded gently. "and I think I might understand why, so if you just talk to me and get it off your chest you'll feel better and we can go back to actually, you know, speaking."

"I'm sorry", Penelope moaned, distraught and caving. "It's just Kevin and you and J.J. and Emily-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up", Derek interrupted, attempting to sort out her possible reasons for being upset with so many people at once. "Start from the beginning; Where is all this coming from?"

Penelope took in a steadying breath. This was going to be uncomfortable. "Remember when I told you Kevin had no problem with you staying over for a few days while your place was being fixed?"

"Yeah.." Derek replied, waiting for her to continue.

"Well, I kinda.. lied", she cringed.

"Garcia, you didn't", Derek was shocked and slightly upset now himself. "Penelope- Baby girl- Why would you put me in that position?"

"I know", Penelope whined pitifully, "I'm sorry. I mean, I managed to convince him it was a solid, strictly business plan the other day when you first set up camp, but then he called me again this morning, all fired up from talking with his mother and I had to calm him down again. Playing peacemaker at seven in the morning is a real turn off."

"I'm sorry that Kevin is giving you stress about this", Derek apologized sincerely. "Listen, I'll be fine moving into a hotel for the remain-"

"No, you will not!", Penelope was quick to protest. "That will just make my stance on the matter look weak", she back peddled, thinking on the fly. "Besides, the reason we even discussed you coming to stay over was the repair work is punching a hole in your wallet and you would be hard pressed to stay in a hotel given your current financial standing."

Derek silently handed her that victory. She'd hit the nail on the head. "So what are we going to do about Kevin?", he asked.

"Leave Kevin to me", Penelope huffed determinedly. "I'll sort him out one way or the other.."

"Sheesh, remind me never to piss you off", Derek jibbed playfully.

"Too late, sweetness", she chucked half-humourlessly.

"And what was my indiscretion?", Derek wanted to know.

Penelope stopped short, no longer willing to continue.

"Come on, princess", Derek almost sing-songed. "The truth shall set ye free.."

"It was the towel..", she mumbled, mortified and barely audible, having placed her head in her hands.

"Excuse me?", Derek asked, confused.

"It was the towel", she reiterated more clearly, giving up all pretence of strict morality.

"...I don't follow", Derek insisted after a moments contemplation.

"I had just spent twenty minutes on the phone explaining to my loon of a boyfriend that your stay at my apartment was perfectly innocent", Penelope began to explain in more detail. "That nothing could ever happen between us because we were best friends and I had him and yada-yada-yada."

"Uh huh..", Derek encouraged.

"Then I come around the corner looking for you, and what do I see?- You standing in the middle of my frickin' bedroom doorway, in nothing, but a towel."

"Oooh..", Derek said in sudden dawning realization.

"Yeah", Penelope sighed in frustration. "You definitely don't make my life easier, sugar plum."

"I apologize", Derek sighed humbly. "I really am not making this easy on you, am I?"

"For sure", Penelope nodded, then relenting slightly she added, "Not that it was an entirely unpleasant experience.."

Derek grinned. She was teasing, and that meant he was in the clear. "Somebody like what they saw?"

"There isn't yet a number to describe how many heart attacks I was having", she giggled saucily.

"You know, I think your boyfriend has a reason to worry if you're thinking such naughty thoughts, miss thing", Derek warned jokingly.

"That is the dilemma", Penelope sighed, shrugging, "but what is one to do when one is craving chocolate?"

Derek chuckled. "See you later, silly girl."

"Good-bye, my sweet treat", Penelope fare-welled happily, glad to be rid of her tension for now. "Oh, and Derek?"

"Yes, baby girl?", he asked.

"Tell Emily and J.J. to call me, I kinda may have snapped at them before you all left."

"Will do", Derek agreed, "later, player."

"See ya."

[a/n: more to come.]


	5. Chapter 5: naked?

[a/n: i've been trying all day to log in and post this chapter. finally! the following is some juicy girl gossip that leads into the happening in the next chapter. again, i'm skipping over the unsub bits. hopefully you will all fill in the blanks if you wish. excellent. love y'all. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

Emily and J.J. stared at each other across the table in wordless freak out mode.

"So, he was naked?", Emily asked for what seemed like the tenth time.

"In a towel", Penelope corrected her patiently.

"He was naked and dripping wet?", J.J. asked on her end of the conference call.

"In a towel", Penelope corrected her blonde friend.

"All glisten-y and muscle-y and naked?", Emily asked.

"In a towel", Penelope yet again corrected.

"Just standing in your bedroom doorway.. naked?", J.J. asked.

"Guys! He was wearing a towel! That was the only thing he was wearing, yes, but he wasn't nude!", Penelope snapped, finally loosing patients with her girl friends.

"What did you say?", J.J. asked, an amused tone creeping into her voice.

"I couldn't say anything", Penelope answered truthfully. "So many things were going through my head at once."

"I bet there were", Emily teased, causing J.J. to snicker.

"It wasn't funny, guys", Penelope whined plaintively.

"Oh, come on", Emily chuckled. "You have to admit, it's actually incredibly funny."

"Um, I beg to differ", Penelope pointed out. "I have a boyfriend whose loyalty I swore not to betray."

"I suppose, when you put it like that..", Emily sighed, shrugging. "I'm sorry for trying to pump you for info this morning. If I had had any idea-"

"You would have only tried harder", Penelope acknowledged. "It's okay, what are friends for?"

"Thanks, P", Emily smiled as J.J. winked at her. "So.. what are you gonna do about Kevin?"

Penelope had honestly run out of ideas. "I'm open to suggestions.. My word doesn't seem to be good enough."

"Well", J.J. began, exchanging a look with Emily that clearly said 'is she serious?', "You can't really blame him, can you?"

"Ouch", Penelope complained, slightly hurt. "So much for hoping you'd both be supportive."

"I just mean- You and Derek.. Well, you don't exactly have a 'normal' friendship, do you?", J.J. tried to hint.

"Um, did I accidentally pick up a call from Kevin?", Penelope asked pointedly. "'cause I was trying to reach J.J. and Emily."

"You have to be willing to admit that you and Derek can push the boundaries a bit when it comes to friendship?", J.J. insisted.

"We're flirty and close, if that's what you mean", Penelope could see how those actions could be misconstrued.

J.J. rolled her eyes. "That's not what we mean."

"Well, what else is there?", Penelope wanted to know.

J.J. sighed. She needed an example to make Penelope see how potentially dangerous her situation really was. "So, an example- ahhh.. What did you and Derek do last night?"

"Nothing", Penelope was quick to dismiss what she felt was an unwarranted accusation. "It was-"

"I didn't mean anything by it", J.J. assured her. "Just.. outline the evening."

Penelope mulled the request for a moment before responding. "We had some wine, we joked around and made some popcorn. We watched a movie, I fell asleep half way through, Derek woke me up when the movie was over, then we changed and went to bed properly."

"Okay", J.J. tried to lead into her next point as gently as she could. "Now, think back... Was there anytime throughout the evening, if Kevin had shown up for some unknown reason, that he might have seen something that he could have perceived as you breaking your word?"

Penelope thought long and hard as she was determined to prove J.J. wrong, but then something occurred to her almost immediately. "Oh.."

"Oh?", Emily asked, intrigued. It sounded juicy.

"No, it was nothing", Penelope tried to dismiss.

"No, it was something", J.J. insisted, really wanting to get her point across. "What did you think of?"

"It's just so silly-", Penelope tried to deflect.

"But it popped into your head when I asked, didn't it?", J.J. pressed.

"Yes, but-"

"What was it?"

Penelope sighed in defeat. She was no match for a profiler on a mission. "There may have been a pillow fight.."

"And?", J.J. prodded, sensing she was holding back.

"And... kind of wrestling around..", Penelope mumbled, trailing off. "but it was all innocent, I swear!"

"You have to be careful, P", J.J. warned, shaking her head. "We know you're innocent, sure, but if you find yourself interacting with Derek in a way that Kevin would disapprove of when Kevin is not present, it's up to you to honour any objections he might make."

"I know", Penelope groaned in frustration. "Honouring your boyfriend sucks sometimes."

"Welcome to my world", J.J. smiled wryly.

"I mean, I love him, I do", Penelope assured her friends and herself, "but Derek is just so.. fun."

"I get it", J.J. assured Penelope in return. "Believe me, I do. I think we'll make a honest women out of you yet."

"Perish the thought!", Penelope gasped in mock-horror. "Anyway, I'm sure I should let you lovely ladies get back to your gambling nut bag."

"And she avoids spilling the goods on the pillow fight by reminding us of our duties", Emily jibbed. "Oh well, if we must, we must. Catch ya later, P."

"You know it, Ems", Penelope smirked. "Chow bellas!"

[a/n: are you wondering how that pillow fight played out? good. very good... more to come.]


	6. Chapter 6: wine, gravity, and nylons

[a/n: once i get on a roll, it's hard to stop, so i popped out this chapter. Mmm, fresh chapter... kinda like freshly baked dinner rolls with real butter.. anyway, hope you all enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it. it's one of my better ones if i only say so myself. much love. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

Penelope waited until she heard the door to the washroom click shut before she began to undo any of her outfit. Undressing herself turned into a rather difficult and frustrating task. Everything she was wearing seemed to want to stay fused to her skin. The tights were the worst, and it was difficult to get them off normally, but what with the wine and their seeming stubbornness and having to hop around on one foot to remove them.. well, all bets were off. She'd almost peeled herself free of the dreadful things when she made a disastrous calculation. She wobbled when she should have remained still and that fateful action cost her the battle with gravity. She slipped on the wood floors and landed flat on her back with a loud thud, jarring a few knick knacks on the end tables near by. The panty hose went flying and hit her living room lamp shade.

"Oww..", she wheezed, unable to move for a few moments.

Her worst fears were suddenly realized as she heard Derek burst out of her bathroom in a panic.

"Baby girl, are you all right?", he asked, striding quickly towards the sound of the crash.

Penelope's eyes went wide as she suddenly realized Derek was about to inadvertently see her in only a night shirt and her underwear. "Derek Morgan, don't you dare come into this room!", she bellowed.

She heard him stop immediately and silently thanked god for his obedience reflex when it came to her.

"What happened?", he asked, his worry evident in his tone.

"Wine, gravity and a deadly pair of tights", she joked wryly, easing herself gingerly into an upright position. "I'm fine, but I haven't yet achieved full modesty, so if you would be so kind as to avert your lovely eyes from my general direction for a few ticks I would be eternally grateful."

"Sure thing, princess", she heard Derek reply sweetly, making her heart go slightly gooey.

"My hero", she giggled, hoisting herself from the floor and reaching for the pyjamas bottoms she had slung over the back of her purple couch.

Just as she was tugging the last bit of the waistband over her hips, she received a shocking blow to the back of her head. She stumbled forward slightly and then whipped around to face her attacker. There stood Derek Morgan, grinning from ear to ear, with a mischievous glint in his eyes and a zebra stripped pillow in his hands.

"Oh, you are so dead..", Penelope giggled madly, grabbing the spare pillow she had lent Derek from it's spot on the couch, and swinging for his head.

Derek ducked just in time to avoid her counter strike, and when he bobbed back upright there was no doubt in either of their minds; The chase was on!

They battled across the living room and through the kitchen. They quickly realized that Penelope's kitchen was no place for a proper throw down when Penelope almost sent her teapot hurtling across her counter top and into her living room with one particularly wild swing. Derek had then wisely retreated to the bedroom area as Penelope followed on his heels, landing cheap blows because his back was turned and she was determined to win at all costs.

"Admit it!", Penelope cackled happily, as Derek found his footing once more and waded back into the feathery fray. "I'm wearing you down!"

"Not a chance, sweet pea", Derek argued, dodging two of her most recent strikes. "You oughtta know.. I can go all night." He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively and she totally lost her mind laughing.

That was all the distraction he needed.

He abandoned his fuzzy weapon in favor of a new tactic. He grabbed her around the middle and tossed her back onto her bed, tickling her with devilishly clever fingers.

"No!", she shrieked, unable to assuage the madness. "I swear, you'll never take me alive!"

"Then you must die!", Derek bellowed in a fake dramatic maniacal villain voice, not giving her any quarter. "Mua ha ha hahaha ha!"

"Ah! Please!", she squealed when she could endure no longer. "Mercy! Mercy! I beg you, have mercy!"

"You must promise to be my slave forever!", Derek demanded in his villain voice, pausing to let her answer.

"Never!", Penelope gasped in mock-outrage.

"Then you are dooooomed!", he wailed, renewing his efforts three fold.

"Ah! No! I give, I give, I giiiiive! I surrender wholly and completely to you!"

Derek ceased his advance immediately. "Meh, it's a start", he shrugged, flopping down beside her on the queen sized bed and panting slightly as a result of his previous actions.

"Jerk", she chided breathlessly with a smirk, punching him lightly in the arm.

They sat in amiable silence for a while, staring giddily at the ceiling, and trying to catch their breath.

"I'm really glad you're staying", Penelope admitted after awhile, smiling fondly at Derek from where she lay.

"Me too, baby girl", Derek rumbled, staring fondly right back.

The phone ringing brought Penelope crashing back to the present. "Mistress of the mysterious etherweb", she chirped automatically. "How can I weave my web to help you?"

"Pen, it's me", Derek sighed in a tone of great relief, but also sadness. "Just callin' to let you know we're comin' home."

"You got him?", she squeaked happily.

"No", Derek sighed again, "He took care of that for us."

Now she understood. "Oh Derek.."

"I'll be alright, momma", Derek assured her. "Just have a hug warmed up for me when I get back, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, you got it", Penelope nodded, her concern for her boy evident in her tone. "Be safe."

"Will do, sweet cheeks", Derek affirmed, ending the call and hauling himself towards the rest of the team, who were heading out to the jet already. He couldn't wait to wash his hands of this mess.

[a/n: there is more to this pillow fight then just her side... more to come, but hopefully after i get some shut-eye. night!]


	7. Chapter 7: those awkward little moments

[a/n: please do not hate me for how this chapter ends. i left the end bit for this chapter so i'd have something new to put into derek's POV. it needs to be this way as a setup for the last chapter. much love. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

Derek sat at the back of the jet with his headphones clamped on, listing to some smooth jazz to sooth his aching soul. His thoughts drifted back to home and his baby girl waiting for him back in the BAU...

He was sure his heart stopped the moment he heard the crash. So great was his concern that he bolted from the washroom without a second thought.

"Baby girl, are you alright?"

"Derek Morgan, don't you dare come into this room!"

Then he realized that she was probably still only partially dressed, so he slowed his roll out of respect to her.

"What happened?"

"Wine, gravity, and a deadly pair of tights", she joked wryly from her general living room area. She didn't know where he was or what direction he happened to be looking in because she had her back to him, but he could clearly see when she sat up that his first assumption had been correct- she was still only half dressed.

"I'm fine, but I haven't yet achieved full modesty, so if you would be so kind as to avert your lovely eyes from my general direction for a few ticks I would be eternally grateful", she continued.

"Sure thing, princess", he assured her sweetly, not yet turning away as he was still unsure as to the actual amount of damage her fall had caused her.

"My hero", she giggled, lifting herself off the floor without too much difficulty.

When he was sure that she could remain standing, he looked away and tried to busy himself with other thoughts besides her lacy royal purple underwear. After all.. the hero always peeks, right? He cast his gaze around her bedroom until it came to rest on the loudest pillow Derek had ever seen. He chuckled to himself as he picked it up. What a crazy, mad, wonderful women she was. And then an idea that was worthy of such a women occurred to him in a flash of insanity.

He held the pillow tightly in his hands, creeping towards her like a cat, ready to pounce at the last possible second. He hoped she would ignore the fact that he could again see her nickers as she pulled her pyjamas bottoms over them. He was on pins and needles, wondering if she would sense his game and turn around to catch him in the act at any moment. Then he would have a lot of explaining to do..

Just as she pulled the waistband snugly over her hips, he struck. The blow sent her reeling slightly at first, but when she turned around, a slow, vengeful, yet perfect smile spread across her face.

"Oh, you are so dead.."

And the full out war that had followed had truly been the stuff of legends. He would never forget it. Not as long as he lived.

"I'm really glad you're staying", she confessed, seemingly out of the blue, giving him that warm smile that he loved so much.

"Me too, baby girl", he rumbled, giving her the same smile in return.

She giggled and scrunched her nose up and stuck her tongue out between her teeth until Derek was sure she couldn't get any cuter.

"Why can't it be like this all the time?", she asked with a sigh, slinging her arms around his neck, a gesture that always felt so right to him.

"Be like what all the time?", he asked, nuzzling comfortably into her embrace.

"You and me?", she attempted by way of an explanation. "Just us? With no pressure and no rules and no distractions? Why can't we just stay like this all the time?"

"Well", Derek considered, resting his forehead against hers, "There are unsubs.. and paperwork.. and boyfriends for a start."

"Ahh, screw 'em", she joked, rolling her eyes and rubbing noses with her boy affectionately. "Why would I need any of that when I've got you?"

And that's when they both realized that it was happening; the little awkward moments that build before an imminent kiss were taking place. They both got very still and their breath came in whispers. A flash of hot awareness flushed each cheek. The lids of their eyes were drooping closed and there lips felt full and heavy. There was nothing for it now and nothing to stop it... until..

"Penelope..", Derek interrupted, disturbing the tension in the air, even though a large part of him was screaming at him not to.

"Derek..", she muttered at soul chilling level only he could hear.

"We should-", Derek paused to clear his throat and pull away from her. "We should-um.. It's really late. We should-should get some sleep..?"

And just like that, the moment was lost. The magic that could have been, vanished.

"Oh", she mumbled, sitting up and tugging at her left sleeve self-consciously. "Yeah.. I guess.."

"Yeah", Derek nodded, shuffling nervously at the foot of her bed, unsure of his next move.

Penelope couldn't meet his eyes any more and looked anywhere but directly at him. When her gaze fell on the discarded pillow, she picked it up and held it out to him awkwardly.

"You'll be needing this..", she managed.

"Yeah", Derek nodded stupidly. "Yeah, I suppose I will.." when he looked up at her, he saw her spirit withering before his eyes and it nearly killed him. He had to say something. Had to make it better somehow. "Listen.. we're okay still, right?"

She'd looked up at him in surprise we he'd started speaking again, but he saw something change in the depths of her eyes when she responded. "Yeah, of course. We'll always be okay."

He could tell the sentiments weren't sincere, but he let it go. She needed to be alone right now, and he would respect that. He headed to the couch without another word and tried his best to get any semblance of sleep.

"Morgan!", Reid barked, shaking his fellow agent's arm to rouse him from his trance-like state.

Derek removed his headphones and looked around in confusion.

"We've landed and everyone else has left already", Reid explained, seeing that Derek was still half in his stupor.

"Oh, sorry, Reid", Derek apologized. "Thanks for waking me.."

"You weren't asleep!", Reid chuckled, packing his novel away in his messenger bag and slinging the bag over his shoulder. "You should think about getting some if your hallucinations are becoming that vivid though."

"Will do", Derek assured the doctor, rubbing his tired eyes and following the young agent off the jet.

[a/n: again, sorry about the angst. nasty stuff, but necessary, i assure you. more to come.]


	8. Chapter 8: dinner is cancelled

[a/n: this is it. the last one. a little gift from me to you. much love. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...

Derek could hear the faint sound of music flowing down the corridor as he approached her office door.

'..You can't get back,  
>What you gave away<br>I'm wasted and lost in the crowd  
>And you can't fake what you never feel<br>You just let the scene fall down..'

Derek watched her in the doorway for a few minutes as she swayed along to the music and went about sorting her paperwork.

'..Ooooo, every day is a last time  
>Just another life passing by<br>I know it's cruel, the times that we lose  
>Blame it on my misplaced heart<p>

Lessons never learned  
>With every mile that you burn<br>In only a moment you're alone  
>You're lost without a way home..'<p>

Derek rapped lightly on her door frame, causing her to spin towards him.

"Hey, baby boy!", she was quick to smile as she hit the space bar on her keyboard to mute her depressing music. Colin James was for healing personal hurts, not suited for cheering up special agents.

"Hey, baby girl", he smiled sweetly, heaving himself off of her door frame and stepping gratefully into her waiting arms. "Did you miss me?"

"Derek Morgan!", Penelope scoffed, holding him reproachfully at arms length. "What a question! Of course I missed you!"

"I was just teasin', momma", Derek chuckled, tugging her closer and smiling down on her.

"Well.. good", Penelope huffed with her chin jutting defiantly, "You had me worried for a minute."

"Listen, sugar", Derek soothed, "You should never have to worry about me. I'm the one that should be worrying about you."

"Me?", Penelope scoffed again, "Hot stuff, the most dangerous part of my job is the looming threat of carpal tunnel. Meanwhile, you're out there in the field, breaking down doors and getting shot at! One of these things is not like the other."

"I can take care of myself, pretty girl", Derek defended, kissing the top of her head. "Now hurry up. Rossi's taking us all out to dinner."

"Oh..", Penelope hesitated, biting her lip slightly.

"What?", Derek asked in a concerned tone. He'd noticed a strange air about her when he had entered her office, but had dismissed it as his mind playing tricks, now he sensed it again.

"I kinda wanted to-", but then she shook her head. "Never mind. It's not important. Let's go." she grabbed her bag and her coat and went to reach for the door handle, but Derek beat her there.

"Uh uh, you are not getting away that easily", he scolded because she should have known better. "What is it?"

"It's just something silly I was thinking about earlier, but it can wait", Penelope insisted, trying for the handle again, but Derek moved in front of it, folding his arms across his chest.

"Not a chance, honey cakes", Derek shook his head, staring her down. "Spit it out."

"Derek!", Penelope pleaded.

"Penelope..", Derek warned.

She sighed in frustration. Blast all these damned profilers in this whole damned effing building.. she tossed her purse back on her desk and threw her coat down beside it, plopping down in her desk chair and running her fingers through her hair. "I kinda wanted to ask you something.."

Derek shifted uncomfortably. "Okay, shoot."

She peered up at him with her golden brown eyes, so fragile and frightened, and wordlessly reached for his hands.

He unfolded his arms and knelt down in front of her, placing his hands gently in hers, and staring up at her.

"If I ask you, you have to promise me you won't get all weird", Penelope demanded, daring him to argue with a glare.

"Promise", Derek nodded, feeling that this was a time for begin absolutely serious.

"Okay", Penelope nodded, staring intently at her fingers which were intertwined with Derek's. "You know the..? J.J. made a point.. I was thinking earlier about.. the, um, other night-"

Derek closed his eyes and shook his head as if he were trying to shake out the memories. "Penelope, just forget about it."

"oh", Penelope muttered in a small broken kind of voice, tears threatening to form in he corners of her eyes. She unthreaded their fingers and went to stand and leave quickly.

Derek, only realizing in hindsight how harsh he sounded, moved to stop her. "Wait, baby girl. I didn't mean it like that-"

Penelope only sat back down because she had lost the will to fight. When she met his gaze, the wounds in her soul were reflected back at him and it stung.

"Listen, sweet heart", Derek attempted to explain. "You know there is nothing in this whole wide that I wouldn't do to protect you, right? Nothing I wouldn't say?"

Penelope thought she could see where he was going with this, but she wasn't entirely sure just yet.

"Well, sometimes that means hurting you a little in order to protect you from yourself", he continued, drawing on all the strength and courage he could muster. "I wasn't about to let you kiss me and make your life complicated and painful. What kind of a friend would I be if I let that happen? What kind of a man? How could I look you in the eye everyday knowing I could have saved you so many regrets?" Derek shook hid head sadly. "I couldn't. I couldn't live with the guilt. I couldn't live with the shame. I couldn't. I'd rather die." Derek stroked her cheek softly and gave her a small smile. "I love you."

There was a pause as she just stared into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity, then she grabbed his head in both of her hands and kissed him rather passionately.

"Garcia!", Derek sputtered when she finally loosened her grip on him. "What the hell? Did you care to listen to anything I just told you?"

"Yep", she grinned happily as he just started at her, utterly floored. "I heard every word that you said, and, while extremely beautiful and heart-melting, it's still the sorriest excuse I've ever had the misfortune to be on the receiving end of. You can take your nobility and shove it! Which is what I was going to say before you rudely interrupted the speech I had planned for you. After J.J., Emily and I had a chat, I started really thinking about my life and my relationships, and I came to realize something- I have nothing without you. I realized that if Kevin left me, I could survive. I could move on and continue to live and be happy.. but... if anything ever happened to you, there wouldn't be anything in the entire universe that could fill the void in my heart, because I love you. I do. I can't help it or fight it or change it. So.. there."

"But what about-?", Derek asked.

"I broke up with him an hour ago", Penelope bubbled joyfully. She knew she probably shouldn't feel so giddy. After all, she had been with Kevin a long time and he had been nothing but kind to her, but the amazing feeling of finally having everything out in the open instead of on the inside, rotting the walls of her heart, overshadowed everything else at the moment.

"You know you sound insane right now, right?", Derek asked, eyeing her warily.

Penelope shrugged. "You've always known I was a little 'off', and besides.. I'm in love. Love is foolish."

"I don't know, sweetness..", Derek hesitated.

"Oh my god!", Penelope snapped, rolling her eyes, "Derek Morgan, do not make me smack you!"

Derek laughed and shook his head, lifting her from her desk chair so he could embrace her properly. "Woman, you know, if you weren't so cute, I would be running screaming in the other direction."

"Oh, but that's why you love me, isn't it?", she teased, eyeing him like she was ready to devour him. "Because you know I can make you scream?"

Derek raised one eyebrow. "Baby girl, behave!"

"Why?", she sauced back, twisting free of his grasp and shoving him back into one of her office walls. "Now hold still. Momma wants kisses.."

Derek didn't even put up a resistance. He knew it was futile. He would just be lucky if he got to ride along.

"Wait!", Penelope panicked suddenly, prying herself away from Derek with a hand on his heaving chest. "When you said you loved me, you actually meant you loved me, right? Sort of a more then friends deal?"

Derek eyed her suspiciously. "well, ye-"

"Okay, good. Just checking", Penelope cut him off hurriedly, eager for more of his steamy kisses.

"You're insatiable", Derek growled playfully.

"Less talk, more make out", she demanded, pulling him down to meet her lips again and again.

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

"What's taking those two so long?", Rossi wondered aloud checking his watch and glancing up at the headquarters building. "Don't they know we're starving down here?"

"And I've gotta pick Jack up from Jessica's soon", Hotch worried anxiously.

"I'll go check on them", Emily volunteered, tired of standing around uselessly. "Won't take a minute."

"Yell at them for us, would you?" J.J. asked, rather irritably hungry herself.

Emily laughed and waved her acknowledgement as she entered the building.

{oxoxoxoxoxoxo}

Ten minutes later, Emily came speed-walking back towards the group, looking extremely embarrassed.

"What happened?", J.J. asked in concern.

"What has been heard... cannot be unheard", she whispered in undertone when she finally reached the blonde, causing J.J.'s mouth to hang open. "Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia will definitely not be joining us for dinner", she said louder for the benefit of the group.

"Why not?", Reid asked, innocently unaware.

When Emily looked across to Hotch, he turned on his heels and walked towards his suv. "I know nothing", he threw over his shoulder as he entered the driver's side and shut the door.

Rossi barked out a laugh and cursed in Italian, shaking his head.

"What?". Reid asked as the rest of the team started to head to their vehicles. "Come on, guys! What did I say?"

[a/n: something i'd like to mention as a parting note; garcia didn't break up with kevin because she was planning on making out with morgan. she broke up with him so they could eventually maybe possibly be together. when morgan gave her that lovely speech, she forgot about waiting ;) also, i'd like to shout out to my reviewers- LoveforPenandDerek, jenny crum, Lenika08, {anonymous}, Kimd33, Monnie32, sweetlilfighter, inuyasharbd15fan09, jevans47403, Garmor. keep spreading the love~*]


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